- The Vine
The Vine is an allegory or
parable given byJesus in theNew Testament found only in theGospel of John ().Old Testament
There are numerous
Old Testament passages which refer toIsrael as a vine: Ps 80:8-16, Isa 5:1-7, Jer 2:21, Ezek 15:1-8, 17:5-10, 19:10-14, and Hos 10:1. The vine became symbolic of Israel, and even appeared on some coins issued by theMaccabees .The Old Testament passages which use this symbol appear to regard Israel as faithless to
Yahweh and/or the object of severe punishment. Ezek 15:1-8 in particular talks about the worthlessness of wood from a vine (in relation to disobedient Judah). A branch cut from a vine is worthless except to be burned as fuel. This appears to fit more with the statements about the disciples than with Jesus’ description of himself as the vine.Ezek 17:5-10 contains vine imagery which refers to a king of the house of David,
Zedekiah , who was set up as king in Judah by Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah allied himself to Egypt and broke his covenant with Nebuchadnezzar (and therefore also with God), which would ultimately result in his downfall (17:20-21). Ezek 17:22-24 then describes the planting of a cedar sprig which grows into a lofty tree, a figurative description ofMessiah . But it is significant that Messiah himself is not described in Ezekiel 17 as a vine, but as a cedar tree. The vine imagery here applies to Zedekiah’s disobedience.Is it a parable?
According to the
Catholic Encyclopedia article on [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11460a.htm Parables] : "There are noparables in St. John's Gospel" and theEncyclopedia Britannica article on [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Gospel_Of_St_John Gospel of St. John] : "Here Jesus' teaching contains no parables and but threeallegories , the Synoptists present it as parabolic through and through." Others however do consider it a parable [ [http://www.christinyou.net/pages/vinebranch.html The Vine and the Branches by David Tryon] ] , as others have throughout history includingJohn Calvin [ [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom35.v.i.html John Calvin's Commentary on John Volume 2] ]Authenticity
The
Jesus Seminar labelled the story of the vine, and the farewell discourse as a whole, inauthentic ("black").1 F The Vine and the branches (15:1-10)
From John 15:1-6 (KJV) 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Notes
External links
* [http://www.thevine.co.nz The Vine]
* [http://www.truevinecf.com The True Vine Christian Fellowship]
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